Laval wins 8th Vanier Cup, unbeaten in 65 straight at home

Pascal Lochard, Maxime Boutin and the Laval Rouge et Or offensive line aided the Laval Rouge et Or to their 65th consecutive home victory and CIS record 8th Vanier Cup win with a 25-14 victory over the Calgary Dinos in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 18,543 at TELUS Stadium in Sainte-Foy, Que.

Lochard, who left last week’s Nov. 16 Uteck Bowl win on crutches and who missed the 2012 Vanier Cup due to injury, looked no worse for wear today, and Boutin spelled him off effectively as the two-pronged rushing attack helped to amass a CIS Vanier Cup record 449 rushing yards. In winning back-to-back titles, the running backs took advantage of great big holes opened up by the five big men for Laval on the offensive line – three of them CIS first-team All-Canadians.

Laval has now won eight Vanier Cups in 18 seasons in the CIS.

The host Rouge et Or held a tight 6-0 lead at the half (although Laval could have been up big if it hadn't been for penalties), but the Dinos could not contain the Laval running game in the second frame.

While Calgary led briefly 14-12 late in the third quarter, Laval stormed back to close out the third quarter on Boris Bede field goal (his fifth of six on the day) and held on for victory. Perhaps it should not have been a surprise given that Laval has not lost at home since 2004.

Laval ran into some discipline trouble in the first three quarters and their special teams were mediocre, but in the fourth they played with great discipline and Boris Bede booted his fifth field goal to guide the host school to victory.

The dynasty that is Laval continues.

With tailgating beginning at 7 a.m. ET, I can only imagine how wild the atmosphere will be post game. What a perfect way to end a perfect season for Laval – they become just the 14^th school in CIS history to win the Vanier Cup with a perfect record.

And credit Laval’s ability to contain Mercer Timmis, a Hec Crighton trophy nominee.

But Calgary played well. They sustained a few early scares and held sophomore Laval quarterback Alex Skinner (8 for 21, 93 yards) in check. This Dinos team is young and they will be back and will be a legitimate No. 2 seed to start the 2014 season.

“I cannot describe it it’s incredible. To win at home in front of all of our hands its surreal," Skinner said after the game.

Vincent Desloges won the defensive player of the game award, and not surprisingly, Lochard (25 rushes for 184 yards and a TD) the offensive player of the game award. I would have thought a nice touch would have been to give it to an offensive lineman. Boutin, who had a 30-plus-yard scoring rush called back in the first quarter, could also have won offensive player of the game honours (20 caries for 190 yards).

It was a great event for CIS football with a close score and a great atmosphere.

"It's outstanding to be able to do this in Quebec City, my hometown," Laval head coach Glen Constantin said following the game. "We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game... we shot ourselves in foot, let Calgary hang in, and they played a great game."

"We were able to fight with great character and pull it off," added Constantin, who is now 7-1 as a head coach in Vanier Cup games. "We have a great offensive line... they took over... they are a physical bunch, they work well together, and they are tremendously well-coached and they took over like they should have."

Laval had a 34-19 advantage in first downs and enjoyed a 35-to-25 minute time of play advantage.

"The continuity in our program great for football in Quebec," Constantin added. "I'm proud."

I'm looking forward to next year already, in what should be a great season with sensational sophomores advancing to junior years across the CIS.